Greetings!
What is a writer's most essential
tool? Besides our creative minds and our
muse, most of us would say our computer and
the Internet. Writers depend on the Web for
research, resources, work, networking, and
self-promotion. Some savvy writers use the
Internet as their sole source of
income--whether through freelance work,
blogging, teaching, or website ownership. So
how do we tap into this resource and utilize
it to our advantage as a writer?
In the past, whenever we've published an
article on blogging, for example, we've
received enthusiastic feedback. Readers
e-mailed us with questions about the topic or
kudos. (We love them both!) While we've
covered basic topics--such as setting
up a blog, creating
an online portfolio, or promoting
yourself online--we've never gone in
depth or explored other avenues of interest
to writers on the Web. There are so many
opportunities online that it would be tough
to tackle them all, but we've pinpointed
several topics of particular interest to
writers and created a great issue for
you.
How do you make a living as a blogger? What
is podcasting and how do you create a
podcast? What are the essential elements of a
freelance writer or author website? How do
you start your own e-zine? How can you make
money with your website or blog? How do you
track your blog's traffic and analyze its
audience? If you've ever wondered the answers
to any of these questions, you're in luck!
Our experts in this issue have the answers
you need and advice you can put to use right
away.
Now, to those of you who are NaNoing at
the moment, we haven't forgotten about
you. We applaud you for taking the
50,000-word challenge this month during
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)! A
large part of participating in this event is
feeling connected to your fellow NaNoers.
That's the power of the Web and a perfect
example of how it brings us all together in
an online writing community. (If you don't
know what NaNoWriMo is, that's okay. We
covered it last year in a fabulous article
written by Suzanne Pitner called NaNoWriMo
Applied.) We'll be posting words of
encouragement for NaNoers and sharing stories
on our blog, The
Muffin. If you'd like to share a story
about your experience, please e-mail our blog
editor Marcia Peterson at [email protected].
We'll also be chatting all things NaNoWriMo
at our Facebook
Fan Page and on Twitter.
We know you have a lot on your plate right
now, (or should I say "serving platter"?) but
be sure to bookmark this issue because
there's a lot of topics you'll want to
explore once you come up for air. After you
craft your first draft, you'll want to know
more about how you can build an author
website, blog about your book, or even
podcast your experiences or chapters. This
issue is just as much for you as it is for
all writers.
Putting together this issue has been a blast!
It's one of my favorite issues yet because
it's like taking a course--a free course--on
timely topics of interest to any writer on
the Web.
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A big, warm, Thank You goes out to our
freelancers & staff:
We welcome back freelancer Thursday
Bram and thank her for her article on becoming
a freelance blogger for hire. As a
professional freelance writer and blogger,
Thursday knows the ins and outs of making a
living as a blogger. The flexibility of the
platform has led to a growing number of women
in blogging. In fact, mommy bloggers are
thriving and making a living by writing from
home! Here are some answers you'll find in
this article: what's expected of you as a
blogger for hire, what the going rates are,
and the best place to find blogging jobs.
Thursday also interviews other successful
bloggers--Celine Roque and Meryl
Evans--whom we also thank for sharing
their secrets in this lucrative field.
We welcome freelancer Anne-Marie
Nichols to the WOW! family and
thank her for her two in-depth articles this
month.
First, Anne-Marie shows you how
to use Google Analytics to track your blog's
traffic and audience. In this
step-by-step article, we learn how to install
Google Analytics and find out what all those
statistics on the dashboard mean: total
visits, page views, pages per visit, time on
site, bounce rate, and percentage of new
visitors per month. It may sound
overwhelming, but Anne-Marie breaks it down
in easy-to-understand language. She really
walks you through the process. She also
shares her own blog's traffic stats in
screenshots (very kind of her!) and provides
you with alternative analytic tools that are
helpful for any website owner or blogger. If
you have a website or blog, this is a must
read.
Anne-Marie's second article reviews
blogging gadgets that will help make your
online life easier. She shares her must-have
picks for netbooks, blog editing software,
video cameras, video editing software, and
online photo editing tools. She also shares
her list of things to consider when
purchasing a smartphone. Many of these
products are the perfect holiday gift for
your writer-friend or are ones to add to your
holiday wish list, and some are free
resources you can take advantage of right
now. It can be tricky navigating the
gadget-waters, since there are so many out
there, but Anne-Marie has personally used
these products, so find out what the benefits
are!
We welcome back freelancer and former senior
editor of WOW! Annette Fix and
thank her for her informative article on what
every author's website needs. This
article provides a comprehensive checklist
for both freelance writers and authors. Its
layout makes it the perfect article to print
out and check off as you complete the tasks.
Annette is definitely a list queen, and her
step-by-step formula will cut out all the
guesswork when creating your writer or author
website.
A big thank you goes to WOW! columnist
LuAnn Schindler for her engaging
article on podcasting entitled The
Digital Affair: Podcasting Meets Printed and
Spoken Words. I had an idea of the
topics I wanted to see in this issue and a
comprehensive article on podcasting was on my
wish list. Soon after I put the call out,
LuAnn came up with a fabulous idea, and I
told her to go for it. Boy, did she deliver!
LuAnn went above and beyond by interviewing
experts in the field: Jodi Picoult,
Mignon Fogarty (a.k.a. Grammar Girl),
Steve Bennett (founder of
AuthorBytes), and Stephanie Romanski
(web editor and social media coordinator for
Nebraska's newspaper, Independent). A
big thank you goes to them as well for
sharing their fantastic advice with
WOW! readers.
If you have a website or blog, it can be time
consuming and expensive to maintain. An
important part of keeping your site healthy
(and wealthy) is learning how to monetize it.
A big thank you goes to WOW! columnist
Marcia Peterson for putting together
this month's round-up in our 20 Questions
column. Instead of 20 questions, we asked one
big one: How do you monetize your website?
Twenty website owners from around the country
wrote in to share their best tips on how
to make money from your website. Find out
what's worked for them and see if you can
implement some of their ideas on your
site.
We welcome freelancer Marcia Passos
Duffy to the WOW! family and thank
her for her article, How
To Start Your Own Online Magazine.
Marcia owns two successful online magazines
and shares her step-by-step formula for
starting your own! In this article, you'll
learn how to: pick your topic, research
popular keywords, pick a name and a domain,
design a website, pick an e-mail newsletter
service, add content to your site, and get
the word out. This is a great article for
anyone who dreams of being an editor and
publisher. By following Marcia's easy to use
advice, you can get started right away!
Keeping with our theme of "writing the Web,"
we bring you a wonderful interview with an
inspirational woman and website owner this
month. We welcome freelancer Shaunna
Privratsky to the WOW! family and
thank her for her interview
with Kim Wilson, founder of
WriteFromHome.com and PreemieParenting.com.
Kim is a remarkable woman who does it all.
She's not only the founder of two popular
websites, she's also the author of an
inspirational book for parents of premature
babies, a life coach, a mom of two sons, and
an army wife. In this interview, Kim shares
some of the challenges she's faced and
overcome and what keeps her reaching for all
her dreams.
Speaking of dreams, we announce the Summer
'09 Flash Fiction Contest winners! We'd
like to thank literary agent Melissa
Jeglinski, of The Knight Agency, for
judging the summer season's contest. Thank
you, Melissa, for your expedience and expert
attention to detail. And congratulations goes
to all those that had the courage to enter
the contest as well.
As always, I'd like to thank contributing
editors Margo L. Dill and Joanne
Stacey for making this issue a joy to read!
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Holiday Ad Rate Super Special!
Want to reach WOW! Women On
Writing's
audience? Now is the best time to do it!
For December 2009 only, we're offering
a special rate for advertisers that can't be
beat.
Banner Size: 120 x 240 pixels (.jpg or
animated .gif with 3 rotations max), one
link.
Price: $150 for issue-wide banner
placement (approximately 16 pages), and
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savings of $650 in December 2009
only!)
Artwork: If you don't have a banner
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$175. You can then use the banner for
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Banners will be placed on a first-come,
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it will be. Banners may be rotated. Until we
complete the new WOW! 2.0 website,
your banner ad will be archived indefinitely
on the site, so you will continue to receive
advertising even after the December issue has
passed.
This promotion is perfect for:
- authors with a book they want to promote
for the holidays
- publishers looking to promote their holiday
titles
- service providers: editing services and
book doctors (especially since it's right
after NaNoWriMo), ghostwriters,
copywriting/advertising firms, and graphic
designers
- websites: any website, but it would be of
particular interest to those that offer
contests, subscriptions, markets, services,
etc.
- products: any product - gift items, gift
baskets, women's products, clothing, food,
software, pet products, children's gift
items/toys, any other product that wants to
reach a woman audience for the holidays
To view WOW!'s regular rates for
advertising at other times of the year, and
to view our traffic and demographics, please
download our media kit:
http://wow-womenonwriting.com/adrates.php
Spaces are filling up fast! Contact us
today to reserve your spot: [email protected].
Please put "Holiday Banner Ad Special" in
your subject line.
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Fall 2009 Flash Fiction Contest
DEADLINE: November 30, 2009 Midnight,
Pacific Time.
GUEST JUDGE: Literary Agent, Noah
Lukeman
About Noah: Noah Lukeman is President of
Lukeman Literary Management Ltd, which he
founded in 1996. His clients include winners
of the Pulitzer Prize, American Book Award,
Pushcart Prize and O. Henry Award, finalists
for the National Book Award, Edgar Award, and
Pacific Rim prize, multiple New York Times
bestsellers, national journalists, major
celebrities, and faculty of universities
ranging from Harvard to Stanford.
Mr. Lukeman is also an accomplished and
bestselling author. His books for writers
include: The
First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to
Staying out of the
Rejection Pile (Simon & Schuster, 1999);
The
Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to
Life (St. Martins Press, 2002); A Dash of
Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation
(W.W. Norton, 2006 and Oxford University
Press in the UK, 2007); How
to Write a Great Query Letter (free
e-book); How
to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent.
We're thrilled to have him as our honorable
guest judge this season!
PROMPT: Open Prompt
WORD COUNT: 750 Max; 250 Min
LIMIT: 300 Entries
Don't wait until the last minute! Enter
Today. Visit our Contest
Page and download our terms &
conditions ebook. Good luck!
----------------
Call for Submissions
WOW! is seeking submissions for their
upcoming themes:
January '10 Beginnings:
This issue focuses on beginning/starting
something--we're open to ideas and
interpretation.
February '10 Romance:
Love is in the air! We're looking for
articles on the craft of romance writing.
Please review our previous romance issues to
see which topics we've covered already:
Romance
issue March '09
Romance
issue Feb '08
March '10 Young Adult Issue:
We're looking for articles on the craft of
writing for a young adult audience. We're
also looking for interviews with YA authors.
Please review our previous children's writing
issues to see which topics we've covered
already:
Children's
Issue Feb '09
Children's
Issue Oct '07
Please review our submission guidelines on
our Contact
Page (scroll to the bottom) for pay rates
and how to submit. We look forward to hearing
from you!
To find out about first calls from
WOW! please subscribe to our Premium-Green
Writer's Markets. We share detailed
descriptions of specific articles we need
right now. Land one gig and it more than pays
for a year's subscription! We currently have
over 24 issues--ebooks filled with over 100
pages of markets--available for immediate
download with the purchase of your
subscription. Join the community that gives
back! And write-on!
----------
On to the issue, enjoy!
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Summer '09 Flash Fiction Contest Winners Announced!
Drum roll...
Congratulations goes to everyone who entered
the Summer 2009 Flash Fiction Contest. All of
your entries were incredible this round, and
our esteemed guest judge, literary agent
Melissa Jeglinski, of The Knight
Agency, did not have an easy job! But with
her expertise, she dutifully picked the
winners, and we thank Melissa!
It happened again! This season, the stories
were phenomenal! All the winning stories you
see on the contest page, including the
Honorable Mentions, scored a "15," which is
the highest possible score they can have.
With so many 15s, it was hard to narrow down
the entries to the Top 10. All the stories
were superlative in subject, content, and
style--it really came down to technical
aspects and the guest judge's personal choice
of which ones made it into the Top 10. Every
story is a winner in its own right and has
the potential to win a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd
Place. They were that good.
I know you've all been waiting patiently, so
here's the results!
-- 1st Place Winner: Beth Blake
-- 2nd Place Winner: Noah Pedrini
-- 3rd Place Winner: Rebecca Gomez
Farrell
Runners Up (in no particular
order):
-- Elizabeth Barton
-- James Tipton
-- Amanda Pettit
-- Norma Bishop
-- Tricia Bowering
-- Lori Lyn Greenstone
-- Evelyn Addison Ray
Read the Top 10 winners' stories in our
contest
feature!
Honorable Mentions (in no particular
order):
-- Nancy S. Ervin
-- Christina Clapperton
-- Karoline Barrett
-- Jenni Webb-Reynolds
-- Cassandra Cridland
-- Bridgid Gallagher
-- Laurel Robertson
-- Ann Hoffman
-- Ann Mullen-Martin
-- Sue Pinto
-- Sandy Van Doren
-- Tania Fabo
-- Wendy Lombardi
-- Anna-Marie Barendt
-- Amy Nichols
Congrats ladies and gents! And congrats to
everyone who hit the send button--we know
it's not easy, but each season provides a
rebirth of opportunity!
So, go on already! Read the entries!
MORE >>
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Blog Analytics 101
By Anne-Marie Nichols
Why do you need to analyze your blog's
statistics? There's the curiosity factor of
wanting to know how many visitors your blog
is attracting, of course. But what is more
important is what the analytical data
tells you about readers and how you can use
it to improve your blog.
In this
step-by-step article, expert blogger
Anne-Marie Nichols shows you how to install
Google Analytics and explains what all those
statistics on the dashboard mean: visitors,
map overlay, new vs. returning, bounce rate,
page views, traffic sources, referring sites,
content and keywords. By learning how to
track your readership effectively, you can
tailor your blog's content to your audience
and keep readers on your site longer.
MORE>>
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How 2 Start Your Own Online Magazine
By Marcia Passos Duffy
Did you ever dream of being an editor or
publisher? Marcia Passos Duffy did. She
wanted to have all the fun and glory
associated with laying out pages, picking
photos, putting together an editorial
calendar, and yes, even that cool task of
fielding pitches from writers. But the idea
of dropping $100,000 or more to start up a
glossy magazine was not financially wise, or
doable. Instead, she dipped her toes in the
publishing waters by starting an online
magazine, which became profitable within six
months.
In this article, Marcia shows you how you can
start your own e-zine too. Learn how to pick
a topic you're passionate about and research
it through Google Keywords, get a name and
domain name, design a website, add content to
your site and send e-mail newsletters to your
subscribers.
MORE>>
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Give Yourself the Ultimate Gift that Gives Back
Jump Start Your Freelance Career
Are you tired of markets newsletters
that simply
"list" a bunch of markets without any personal
guidance?
Get the Guide That Helps You Grow Your
Freelance Writing Career!
PREMIUM GREEN MARKETS
The Ultimate Guide for Freelance Women Writers
Will Show You the GREEN!
Premium-Green isn't just market listings,
it's a guide with community benefits. For
only $4 a month, you get a 100+ Page Ebook
delivered to your inbox every month, and
you'll have access to a private community of
women writers just like you!
We know that becoming a freelance writer
takes more than just market listings. You'll
need the opportunity to network with your
peers and have a support system to help you reach
your goals. And that's exactly what your
Premium-Green Markets Subscription will do.
Here's what you get when you subscribe to
PREMIUM GREEN:
- Monthly 100+ page ebook in friendly
PDF format: Easy to print, easy to save.
No need for storing emails to find links and
articles you missed!
- Articles to grow your Freelance
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anywhere else: More than Your Magic 8-Ball,
I.T.T. In the Trenches, Tips & Tricks, Meet
Your Mentor, Get Writing Mamas!, Project
Workbook, and more...
- Access to the PG Subscribers
Group: Network with your peers through
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discussions, ask questions, and receive
insider tips.
- Documents for PG Subscribers:
Upload, download, and share content with
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- First Calls from WOW!: We
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immediate calls for what we need on the spot
(or when we're in a crunch) to fill each
issue. Get on the ground level and write for
us!
- Pink & Green: Find women's markets
only, and get insight from the editors and
what their needs are right now.
- Markets, markets, and more
markets. We provide markets for all
aspects of freelancing. One example is,
"Niche Quiche," which includes greeting card
markets, slogans, and anything you can write
in a few words and get paid! Check
out our markets
page for more details.
Earn the money you deserve, and get a real
support team
who will help you grow your freelance
career.
Join Now and Download all 24 Premium-Green
ebooks Instantly!
The subscription price is $48 a
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you!
Let's make this a
banner year for all women writers. We can
only do it by helping each other and creating
a strong network and community for ourselves.
Together, we can do it!
VISIT OUR MARKETS PAGE >>
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WOW! Women On Writing Workshops & Classes
invest in yourself, write now
Whether you are looking to boost your income
or work on your craft, we know that education
is an important part of a writer's career.
That's why WOW! handpicks qualified
instructors and targeted classes that women
writers will benefit from. The instructors
are women we've worked with on a professional
level, and these ladies offer high quality
courses on various topics.
How the courses work: All of the
courses operate online--whether through
email, website, chat room, or listserv,
depending on the instructor's
preferences--and are taught one-on-one with
the instructor. The flexibility of the
platform allows students to complete
assignments on their own time and work at
their own pace in the comfort of their own
home. It's a wonderful experience and an
excellent way to further develop your skills,
or to try your hand at something completely new!
Featured e-Courses (By Date):
CREATING A CHARACTER SKETCH by Janie
Sullivan
START DATE: December 7, 2009
DURATION: 15 Days
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Developing a
character sketch for each character in the
story is essential to the success of the
story. The writer needs to know who the
characters are, what they are thinking, and
why they do the things they do in order to
make them believable to the reader. This
course will teach writers how to develop
their characters so their readers will
identify with them--whether or not they like
them.
Limit: 10 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
----------
CREATING REALISTIC DIEALOGUE by Janie
Sullivan
START DATE: December 7, 2009
DURATION: 15 Days
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Getting the
characters of a fiction story to talk to each
other using realistic, believable dialogue
will help the reader relate to them and to
the story, making the story that much more
real. Dialogue is not always easy to do, but
it adds so much to the story that it does not
make sense to leave it out. This course will
give writers information and tips on creating
realistic dialogue that will add to, not
detract from, the story.
Limit: 10 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
----------
CREATING A CHARACTER SKETCH & CREATING
REALISTIC DIALOGUE Two courses at the
same time! ($50 savings on combined
courses) by
Janie Sullivan
START DATE: December 7, 2009
DURATION: 15 Days
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Take both Janie's
classes mentioned above (Creating a Character
Sketch and Creating Realistic Dialogue) and
receive a $50 discount from the total price
of both courses. Super deal!
Limit: 10 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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GET PAID TO WRITE: BECOME A FREELANCE
WRITER (Boot Camp Edition) by
Nicole LaMarco
START DATE: January 5, 2010
DURATION: 4 Weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Want to get
started making money as a freelance writer?
Jump right in with this four-week intensive
boot camp edition of the original Get Paid to
Write class. Start the new year off
right!
This class is for beginning freelance
writers or for those who are interested
in becoming freelance writers. It includes
all of the basics of freelance writing:
overviews of the different fields in
freelance writing, what is needed to begin,
how to store ideas, where to get ideas, how
much you should make, where to find clients,
and how to get clients.
In this class, I am your writing mentor
through every lesson and every assignment.
Make some extra money with your writing or
create your own full-time freelance career!
Learn from my personal stories, information,
resources, goals, activities, lessons, and
assignments. This class will provide the you
with the structure and guidance you need to
Get Paid to Write. A certification will be
given to those who pass the entire class.
Limit: 25 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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BECOME A GHOSTWRITER by
Nicole LaMarco
START DATE: January 5, 2010
DURATION: 8 Weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Ghostwriting is
one of the most lucrative writing niches.
Ghostwriters get paid to write books,
e-books, articles, and more for their
clients. This email course on becoming a
ghostwriter will show you how you can make
money ghostwriting. I've been a ghostwriter
for 8 years and have ghostwritten over 10
books and thousands of articles for my
clients. I will share my personal stories,
information, resources, goals, activities,
lessons, and assignments. This class will
provide you with the structure and guidance
you need to start making money as a ghostwriter.
Limit: 25 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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THE GATEKEEPERS: ALL ABOUT AGENTS AND
EDITORS--Getting them, Working with them,
and Growing as a Career Author, by Andrea
Campbell
START DATE: January 11, 2010
DURATION: 4 weeks
The Course Objectives
In order to succeed in this industry, you,
the writer, must know it intimately from all
sides. If you were a clothing designer: you
wouldn't start without creative talent, the
right materials, and a pattern to guide you.
If you opened up a retail business, you
wouldn't expect to: sell your products
without knowing how to produce or restock
your merchandise; you wouldn't open your
doors without having a business foundation or
center from which to sell, and you wouldn't
try operating without a market strategy or
knowing the competition. So why would you
expect writing to be any different? Yet
thousands of would-be authors do. They buy
into the philosophy that if I just pen a
terrific book, then I will become
successful.
Well, craft is surely something all writers
should work at and a beautiful book can
certainly open doors, but only those writers
who know and understand the business will
stay on to succeed. Now if you want to write
as a hobby or don't care to try to earn a
living at this work, then this course will
just be a knowledge primer. But if you want
to create and write for a living, then you
must learn the principles for this hard-knock
business.
By the end of this course you will:
- Know how the publishing business works
- Know what the key players do and how to
find them
- Know how to describe your product and its
features
- Be able to do a market survey and
assessment, and apply those skills over and
over to everything you do in the future
- Prepare business documents that help to
position you for a sale
- Ride the wave of rejection with style and
grace
- Learn brainstorming by yourself and with
others
- See networking as a subtle tool
- Make yourself a dream
client/writer/author
- Pave the way for your continuing career
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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FOOD WRITING: THE BASICS by Mary
MacRae Warren
START DATE: January 11, 2010
DURATION: 6 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Through lectures,
writing exercises, and instructor feedback we
will cover the basics of food writing (in
print and online formats). Students should
complete the class with at least one work
suitable for publication. We will explore
food writing essentials including: food
reporting and research, techniques for
developing sources in the food world,
resources for covering food news, and
conventional forms of food writing.
Course objectives:
1. To complete at least one work that is
publishable.
2. To encourage you to read published food
writing to better understand the genre.
3. To develop your confidence and skills as
a writer.
4. To develop a foundation for the skills of
crafting, editing, and revising.
Limit: 25 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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A LL THE WORLD'S A STAGE: An Introduction
to Playwriting by Christina Hamlett
START DATE: January 11, 2010
DURATION: 6 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Since the time of
the Ancient Greeks, the live theater
experience has satisfied an audience's need
for entertainment that is immediate, intimate
and accessible to all ages and levels of
society. Whether performed in an outdoor
courtyard, on a vintage stage, in a school
auditorium, or above the din of an urban
coffeehouse, a play is an ever-evolving and
timeless art form that derives its energy
from both sides of the footlights. Unlike a
novel or a film which is financed and
produced only once, a theater script
undergoes a new transformation with each
change of cast and each change of venue. Even
the passage of time itself impacts how a
theatrical story will resonate with
successive generations, giving new definition
and perspective to old ideas or providing a
yardstick of how far we've come from social
mores that were once held as truth.
In this class, you'll be learning what makes
a play successful...and how to write one
yourself! Each module consists of a lecture
and writing assignment, as well as
interviews, websites and anecdotes. Ideally,
it should only take one week to complete each
exercise. The final assignment will be the
writing and submission of an original
15-minute one-act play, which will be
professionally critiqued for its adherence to
all of the principles addressed in class.
Limit: 10 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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WRITING FOR CHILDREN: Everything You Need
to Know About Short Stories, Articles, and
Fillers by Margo L. Dill
START DATE: January 13, 2010
DURATION: 7 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This class will
teach the basics of writing for children's
magazines, crafting short stories, nonfiction
articles, poetry, and fillers. The student
will come away with a short story and cover
letter, nonfiction query letter, and a filler
or poem. She will also have a list of
potential markets, fitting her manuscripts.
The instructor will also share an
organizational tool for submissions and
information on finding other children's
writers and networking.
Limit: 15 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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FINDING YOUR WRITER'S VOICE by Alison
Dubois
START DATE: January 18, 2010
DURATION: 6 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Before you start
trying to write, you should find your
voice and the way to perfect it. Perfecting
your voice can mean the difference between
selling your next article or story idea or
that idea remaining in the editor's slush
pile.
Let's face it. There are literally millions
of writers out there but the ones we remember
are the ones that stand out. They stand out
because they have made an impression on us.
And it is their voice that has
impressed us.
Think about your favorite book or books. What
is it about that book, that writer, you love
so much? Now ask yourself, would you have
gotten it if it had been written by someone
else? Would you love it as much? Hold it as
dear?
If you are being honest, the truth would
probably be no. You can always find other
writers but you cannot find another
Jacqueline Susann, J.K. Rowling or Laurrel K.
Hamilton. These writers have become icons
because their voice etches an indelible
marker in the blueprint of our memories.
Throughout the class I will be your guide,
helping you through exercises and instruction
to help unlock your unique writer's voice.
Limit: 10 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
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ADVANCED WRITING FOR MAGAZINES by
Linda DiProperzio
START DATE: February 1, 2010
DURATION: 8 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: If you've already
taken an intro to magazine writing class--and
have even had a few of your pieces
published--this course can bring you to the
next level. Not only do I share my real life
experience as a freelance writer and editor
with my students, but I also offer valuable
feedback on all assignments and ideas. My
previous students have been published in such
national publications as Redbook, In Touch,
Woman's World, Cooking Light, Prevention.com,
Vibe, and Ladies' Home Journal.
Limit: 10-15 students
VISIT
THE CLASSROOM PAGE FOR DETAILS>>
--------------------
I hope you are as excited about our classes
as we are. WOW! Women On Writing
ensures that our instructors will work with
you one-on-one. In most cases you will
receive emailed course materials and
assignments, or for those with groups, you
will be able to download course materials.
Your instructor will give you assignments and
personal feedback, and guide you through a
charted course of learning. Our instructors
are wonderful ladies who go above and beyond
to help you achieve your writing goals.
MORE>>
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WOW! BLOG: THE MUFFIN
Find out the latest from the Bakers of WOW!
Have you checked out what we've been baking
for you on the daily Muffin? We've stirred
together some traditional ingredients with
new ones to deliver more interviews,
enlightenment, thought provoking ideas, and
inspirational messages to help you through
those gray writing days.
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Never Stale! Here's the Latest:
Tuesdays are contest interview
days!
If you are interested in
writing for our contests, check out the
interviews with previous Top 10 winners to
find out how they crafted their stories.
Spring
'09 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up:
Nicole Waskie
Interview by Anne Greenawalt
Spring
'09 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up:
Diane Hoover
Interview by Marcia Peterson
Spring
'09 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up:
Madeline Mora-Summonte
Interview by Margo L. Dill
Spring
'09 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up: Doris E.
Wright
Interview by LuAnn Schindler
Spring
'09 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up: Amy
Perry
Interview by Jill Earl
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Blog Posts of Interest:
Claudine
Wolk, Author of It Gets Easier...And Other
Lies We Tell New Mothers,
Launches Her Blog Tour!
Interview by Jodi Webb
It Gets Easier...And Other Lies We Tell New
Mothers is a fun, honest, easy-to-read book
geared to making a new mom's life a little
easier. It's upbeat and entertaining, just
like our interview with author Claudine Wolk,
who starts off her blog tour with
WOW!. Writers won't want to miss this
chat, where Claudine shares information on
publishing, platforms, and plugging away.
Therese
Walsh, Author of The Last Will of Moira
Leahy, Launches Her Blog Tour!
Interview by Jodi Webb
We're thrilled to announce the launch of
Therese Walsh's blog tour for her debut novel
of psychological suspense. Her book is
getting rave reviews, and she shares details
about its creation (and re-creation!) in this
terrific interview. Therese also offers
advice to writers, including her favorite
books on writing, and why you should remain
wide open to criticism.
There are a few more stops
to go on this tour, check it out! Check
the dates and join in.
Fiona
Ingram, Author of The Secret of the Sacred
Scarab, Launches Her Blog Tour!
Interview by Jodi Webb
The first in her exciting children's
adventure series, The Secret of the Sacred
Scarab has been nominated as a Finalist in
the Children's Fiction section of USA 2009
Next Generation Indie Book Awards, as well as
the USA National Best Books 2009 Awards. In
our fascinating interview with author Fiona
Ingram, she tells us how she defied the
forces of doubt, reveals her road to
publication, and shares advice for writers
considering developing a book series. Don't
miss it! There are a few more stops
to go on this tour, check it out! Check
the dates and join in.
Blank
Pages
By Alison Diefenderfer
Blank pages and blank computer screens can
bring out a multitude of different feelings.
Aside of any negative situations, Alison says
that a lot of the time a blank page is what
we need. A new beginning of sorts. A place to
tinker, a place to create, a place to find
inner peace.
Children's
Short Story Dos and Don'ts (Part 1)
By Margo L. Dill
Writing for children is more difficult than
it seems. Luckily, Margo has a list of dos
and don'ts to make the journey a little
easier. Check it out!
Results
of My Local Writing Mini-retreat
By Elizabeth King Humphrey
She didn't think she would accomplish
anything, and that maybe she had just been
looking for a day to duck out to the mall
without her band of ever-present accomplices.
But she sat on a sunny deck of her secret
writing location and breathed in fresh air
far from the charming screams of
"MOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM," and wrote. And wrote. And
wrote.
Take
a Walk Towards Inspiration
By Carrie Hulce
Having writers' block? Need inspiration? Put
on your walking shoes!
Keeping
My Canadian Pride
By Chynna Laird
Chynna shares five great publications you may
want to write for. Some will give
non-Canadians a shot if you present your
pitch in a way that would be interesting and
beneficial to Canadian readers. Check it
out!
Words
We Love to Overuse
By LuAnn Schindler
Read through your writing, and you will
undoubtedly find a word, several words, or
even phrases you tend to repeat. It happens
to the best of writers as often as it occurs
with the novices. What does this mean for
your readers?
The
2009 Muse Online Writers Conference
By Jill Earl
Jill shares her online conference experience,
and explains why she goes back every year.
Find out why it might be right for you,
too.
What
Makes a Story Scary?
By Angela Mackintosh
The popularity of horror novels and stories
attest to the fact that most of us love a
scary story. They get our blood pumping, our
adrenaline rushing, and bring out our most
primal instinct: fear. So, how do you make a
story scary? Check out these great tips.
When
Life Throws You a Writing Bone
By Carrie Hulce
Think about what got you started in writing.
Was it a turn of events? A dream? An author
that just took your breath away and helped
you decide that you had a story? Carrie
reflects on what led her to the craft of
writing, and invites you to share what
awakened your passion.
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Want to contribute to The Muffin?
Friday's are "Speak Out!" days. We allow
posts from contributors for promotion. If
you'd like to submit a post, please make sure
that it's about women and writing.
Your post
can be about: writing inspiration, balancing
family life/parenting with writing, craft of
writing fiction/nonfiction, how-tos, tips for
author promotion/marketing/social media, book
reviews, writing prompts, special
opportunities (paying markets for writers),
publishing industry news/gossip, and anything
you think our readers will love.
Please make
sure that there is take-away value to our
readers. No press releases please. We're more
interested in hearing from our core
audience--personal essays and humorous
anecdotes are encouraged as well, as long as
they provide
something useful to our audience--including a
good laugh! ;)
How To Submit: Submit your 250 - 500
word post in the
body of your email to
our blog editor Marcia Peterson: [email protected].
Upon acceptance, we will ask for your bio,
links, bio photo, and any other pics to
illustrate the article. We look forward to
hearing from you!
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Want to get blog posts via email?
Subscribe
to The Muffin with Feedburner and get the
latest delivered straight to your inbox.
Visit The Muffin >>
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In Closing:
We hope this issue will inspire you to
explore all the opportunities available to
you on the Web. The articles in this issue
are jam-packed with great advice you can put
to use right away. Some of the articles are
like taking a free course on the
subject!
I truly enjoyed putting this
issue together because the freelance writers
were all so fantastic. It was a bonus that
their articles were all so SEO friendly. It
made my job a lot easier! I hope you enjoy
this issue as much as I did putting it
together.
As always, if you have
a question on any of the topics we explore in
this issue, we'd be happy to answer them. We
look forward to your comments and encourage
you to keep writing, exploring, and pursuing
your dreams.
Happy writing!
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